Nintendo launched its dedicated GameCube NSO pad alongside the Switch 2 last year, undoubtedly providing the best experience for docked play. However, much like the N64 pad before it, the controller doesn't do much to help with handheld play, where the Joy-Con 2 button layouts simply can't capture the feel of the original hardware.
Enter abxylute's N9C, a Switch 2 grip that launched on Kickstarter today and was almost immediately fully funded, which looks as close as we'll ever get to a GameCube pad built for handheld play.
Similar to CRKD's Nitro Deck range, this is a grip that sits around the Switch 2 screen, substituting the usual Joy-Con placement for one half of the 'split' pad. It attaches via the console's bottom USB-C port to keep the button inputs super snappy, boasts swappable joystick gates for both 8-way and circular options, supports gyro controls and has four extra buttons on the back for you to remap as you please.
Most importantly, however, it nails the look of the GameCube pad. Sure, anything in that shade of purple is bound to bring the nostalgia, and the d-pad and stick tops are a little off from the original design (if we're really being picky), but it's difficult to knock that face button placement when we start to think about the prospect of Wind Waker on the go.
If those violet tones are enough of a throwback for you, and you can do away with the GC's asymmetrical button layout, abxylute is also launching its N6 grip for a slightly more conventional look. This one packs in hall-effect joysticks, front-facing speakers, remappable buttons, gyro support and more. It might not be quite as nostalgic as the N9C offering, but it certainly looks comfier for extended handheld play sessions than the standard Joy-Con setup.
This one comes in either black or purple colourways, so you can choose how much of a throwback you want.
As we mentioned, both grips are only up for Kickstarter support at the time of writing, though early backers will have access to "a Super Early Bird price before full retail availability". You can pledge $618 HKD (around £59 / $79) for one of the N6 grips with an expected April 2026 delivery, or $696 HKD (roughly £66 / $89) for a N9C unit with an estimated June delivery during this early period